Live and Learn
by TheIrishShipperholic
Summary: AU/AH. It was a time of war, of slavery, of peace and to be free. But it was also a time of finding love, whether it is born from a loss of a husband or an arranged marriage of convenience. This is the way they all live and learn. This…is the life lived during the Civil War. [Collaboration with StoryDreamer25]
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Live and Learn  
**Author (s):** Katie (TheIrishShipperholic) and Court (StoryDreamer25)  
**Disclaimer:** We own nothing but this story  
**Show/Movie/Book:** The Vampire Diaries  
**Couples/Category:** Ensemble pairings (pretty much everyone, unless stated otherwise ). Alternate Universe, all human  
**Rating:** Mature, for language, sexual situations and scenes of war/violence  
**Summary:** AU/AH. It was a time of war, of slavery, of peace and to be free. But it was also a time of finding love, whether it is born from a loss of a husband or an arranged marriage of convenience. This is the way they all live and learn. This…is the life lived during the Civil War. [Collaboration with Court]  
**Author's Note:** Court is getting better with her writing, so I hope that this collaboration will do me justice as all of my others have done with Erin.

**Chapter One**

**Mystic Falls, 1863 – Adams' Home**

Whitney was sitting in a rocking chair staring out the window at the dark gray sky and sighed feeling her child kick as they stretched in her belly. She smiled down at her six month bump and rubbed it soothingly. She thought of her soon-to-be husband, William Adams fighting off in the civil war. He would be home soon and they were going to get married and start a family together. She was lost in her thoughts and snapped out of them hearing the doorbell ring throughout the main floor.

She got up and walked to the door and opened it to see a uniformed officer standing there holding a box with a solemn look plastered on his face. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to stream down her face. "I am truly sorry, Miss Anderson, but I need to give this to you. I am truly sorry for your loss." She nodded taking the box from him and shut the door and walked into the house and set it on the table. She opened it and inside was his uniform as well as a smaller box which held his ashes she had to guess. She took the box out and placed it shakily on the mantel above the fireplace before she collapsed to the floor sobbing. She barely even heard the footsteps through the house and just sobbed gasping for air every now and again. She felt arms wrap around her but didn't even move.

"Whitney, darling," an accented voice said, fighting its way into her senses and she lifted her head finally to see her dearest and best friend, Kol Mikaelson, standing there.

"He…he's dead, Kol…" Her sentence was spoken on a choked sob as she fell apart once again, clutching her best friend tighter. She sobbed for a few more minutes, before they slowly subsided and she looked up at him through tear filled eyes and wiped her tears away from her vision. "We were supposed to get married…We were going to have a family together, but now I'm so scared Kol…I'm seven months pregnant and alone…" She bit her lower lip and looked down at the ground sighing heavily. She walked slowly over to her piano that she hadn't touched in days and sat down and began to play a solemn melody. She stopped halfway through and cried more banging her fingers on the keys.

Smiling softly, Kol walked over to her and sitting beside her on the bench he wrapped his arms around her. "You don't have to feel that way you know. I've been your best friend forever now Whit. I've liked you as more than my friend for quite a while now. I'll be there for you through your pregnancy and even help in raising your child…"

Whitney turned in his arms and looked at him and as he spoke she felt a blush creep onto her cheeks turning them red. She nodded at what he said, and what she did next just felt right. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his kissing him softly and she pulled away after a couple minutes. "Sorry…I've liked you that way for months now, I just tried to shove them aside, but found I can't." She looked at him nervously not sure if what she had just done messed up their friendship or made it stronger.

"Never, love," Kol said, leaning to brush his lips over hers gently then stepped back. "But, if you want my help, we should get you out of this lovely mansion, because I'm sure it's full of memories for you."

She smiled feeling him brush his lips over hers again and watched as he stood up. She did as well and looked up at him, because of the height difference and softly smiled at him. "Yeah, I don't think I want to stay here only to be reminded of him; although, could we go to the sea, so I can toss his ashes to the wind?" She looked at him walking slowly over to the table that had the box with his uniform in it and she smiled sadly and looked back at Kol. "I'm not too sure what to do with his uniform though…"

"You should hold onto it for safekeeping and let your son or daughter know how brave their daddy was when his life was taken away from him," Kol told her.

"I will but I still consider you to be their father Kol. You've been there for me for years and will most likely continue to be forever. I love you…" She smiled softly and leaned up kissing him wrapping her arms around his neck holding him close. She pulled away after a bit and walked upstairs to her room and sat on her bed out of breath.

"Whitney, darling, are you alright?" he called from where he remained downstairs.

"I'm alright. I'll be down in a bit," she told him, finally catching her breath. Being pregnant while walking up the stairs was not a good combination, especially at how far she was in her condition.

**Later**…

Kol helped Whitney up the steps to his family's mansion carefully, holding her suitcase in his free hand. "Easy does it, love," he told the blonde. She smiled at him as she held firmly onto his arm so that she didn't fall going up to the front door.

The door opened to reveal Kol's stepmother Eleanor stirring what looked to be some sort of batter. "Kol, what are you doing bringing Miss Whitney by? Not that I'm not happy to see you, Whitney," she told the younger blonde.

"Hello again, Eleanor, it's lovely to see you," the pregnant widow said with a smile. She set her suitcase down and bit her lip and still leaned on Kol for support. "Kol brought me here, because, well, William…" She cut off as she cried again not able to get the words out.

Eleanor saw this and set the bowl of batter she was stirring on the counter and gently embraced Whitney. "Oh Whitney…I'm sorry." She just let her cry softly into her chest whimpering every now and then in between choking sobs. "Kol, why don't you take her suitcase upstairs into the spare bedroom next to yours?"

Kol nodded at his stepmother and picked up her suitcase before heading up to the room and set it on the floor and smiled to himself. He was grateful that his stepmother was so willing to allow Whitney to stay here. He knew he had to get her out of her home, otherwise she would have been depressed and he wouldn't have his best friend in a state like that. He walked downstairs and towards the door. "I'll be back, Eleanor. I'm going to visit Finn."

Eleanor nodded at her stepson still rubbing Whitney's back in a soothing manner. Once Kol left and shut the door softly with a click, she walked Whitney over to a large chair and helped her to sit and propped her feet up. "It will get better, I promise Whitney." She smiled and kissed the top of her head softly before returning to the kitchen to resume her cooking.

Hearing a couple of feminine voices traveling up to his office, Mikael smiled finishing what he was doing. He loved to hear the voice of his wife traveling up to his ears; it was like a soft melody. He stood up from his desk and walked downstairs to see Whitney resting in a chair crying softly. He put two and two together and he walked over and wrapped his arms around her gently kissing the top of her head softly. He walked out to the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her shoulder softly. "Hello, love, how is my beautiful wife?"

Eleanor shivered at her husband's kiss on her shoulder almost causing her to drop the bowl. She set it down and turned in his arms to kiss him softly. "I'm doing well thank you darling husband. If it would be alright with you, I'd like Whitney to live here. She doesn't have anyone left in her life besides us Mikael. Her father was killed three years ago, and her mother passed on when she was eight."

Mikael nodded at his wife kissing her cheek softly. "Of course, that is fine, darling. I have to agree with you, she has always thought of us as familial figures anyhow." He squeezed her waist gently and left her to resume her cooking and went to Whitney bending down. "Whitney? How would you feel about living here?"

Whitney looked up at the man she considered a second father and wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded resting her chin on his shoulder. "Thank you, Mikael…" She felt him rub her back in a slow circle before standing up and walking back to his office.

**Finn & Sage's Home**…

Kol walked up the steps to his brother and sister in laws home and rang the doorbell. He saw the door open and a little girl with brilliant red hair that matched her mother's. "Hello Ruby Red, is your mum and dad home?"

"Uncle Kol!" Ruby grinned big, a toothy grin with a few teeth missing and she launched herself at one of her favorite uncles before being set back on her feet. "Yeah, Mummy is in here, and Daddy is too." She grabbed her uncle by the hand and began to drag him towards Finn who chuckled.

Kol just chuckled as Ruby tugged him along and looked at his brother silently communicating that he needed to speak to him alone. Finn saw the look and bent down to Ruby's height. "Ruby Red, why don't you go and find Mummy and see if you can help her? Uncle Kol and I need to talk alone."

Ruby nodded at Finn. "Okay Daddy!" She turned and giggled as she skipped to the kitchen to find Sage. "Mummy…?"

Sage turned to see her oldest daughter and chuckled. She rubbed a hand over her pregnant stomach and smiled. "Yes, Ruby, what is it?"

"Daddy told me to come help you. He and Uncle Kol need to talk or somethin'…"

Sage chuckled at her and lifted her onto a stool and put a bowl in front of her and a spoon. "Here, why don't you stir this?"

Finn and Kol went into his office and he gestured for his brother to sit in a chair. "What's going on, brother?" He smiled softly at his third youngest brother and watched as he sat wearily in a chair running a hand through his hair.

Sitting in chair, he ran a hand through his hair once and looked at Finn blowing out a breath. "William, Whitney's husband to be…he's dead, Finn. I brought her to Father and Eleanor's. I couldn't let her stay in that house anymore, Finn. I love her. We kissed…and she confessed she loved me that way too."

Finn nodded and grinned when he heard what Kol told him. "Well then, what's the problem Kol? If she loves you, just love her back. She's already been hurt so don't hurt her anymore."

Kol nodded at his brother and sighed. "It's just she's pregnant, and I know I said I'd help her raise the baby, but what if I'm not a good father?" He looked at him in a worried manner.

Sage came in the room and sat on Finn's lap smiling as he wrapped an arm around her pregnant belly. "Kol, don't worry so much. If she loves you, you'll figure this out together. Finn was so worried when Ruby was born, now look at him."

Kol looked at his brother and nodded seeing how happy he looked. "Well I do hope to marry her someday." He was cut off by his younger sister Rebekah, who came rushing in. "Rebekah, what is it, sister?"

"Whit…Whitney is in labor," she told him, out of breath.

"Okay, I'll be right behind you," he said. She nodded and rushed off, back to their father and step-mum's mansion. Kol turned back to his oldest brother and sister-in-law. "I'm sorry to cut this short, Finn, but I must go."

"Keep us updated," Finn told his brother, who nodded before rushing out after Rebekah.

Arriving at their father's mansion, Kol rushed inside, where he found Eleanor with Whitney. "Whitney, I'm here now," he said, smiling at her reassuringly and squeezing her hand gently.

"It's good that you are, because it's time," Eleanor told her stepson, who nodded and moved to position himself behind Whitney, grasping her hands in his.

"Its okay, Whit, I'm here." He smiled and kissed the top of her head, softly gripping both of her hands in his larger and stronger ones.

"Okay, Whitney, I want you to curl your chin to your belly and give me a big push." Eleanor smiled and held her latex-covered hands beneath where the baby would appear and breathed out slowly. Whitney nodded and she squeezed Kol's hands tightly as she curled herself screaming as she pushed until she couldn't breathe and leaned back against Kol, breathing heavily. She felt him brush her hair out of her face and kiss the top of her head again. "Another big push like that and you'll be meeting your son or daughter very soon, Whitney." Eleanor smiled as she saw the baby's head beginning to crown. "Rebekah, I need you to go get a blanket, washcloths and scissors for when he or she arrives, please." She saw Rebekah nod and leave briefly before bringing back the things she asked for.

Whitney leaned forward, giving her another big push and, soon, she heard the wailing cries of her child. She leaned back against Kol, breathing heavily again. Eleanor cut the cord and, cleaning off the baby, she swaddled it in a blanket and walked over to Whitney and smiled in a motherly manner. "Congratulations, Whitney. You have birth to a beautiful baby girl…"

The young, unwed mother cried soft tears of happiness and she took the baby from Eleanor and remained leaning back against Kol. She sniffled and rubbed a finger softly over one of her daughter's pink cheeks. Kol smiled, and tears were in his eyes as well, but he brushed them away. "What are you going to name her, love?" He kissed her cheek and rested his head on her shoulder as she thought about his question.

Whitney thought for a few more minutes before she came up with a name. "I think I'm going to name her Madison April Porter."

Kol nodded at her and rested his chin on her shoulder once more. "That's a lovely name. She looks like you, you know."

Whitney nodded and smiled and kissing her daughter's cheek she smiled at Eleanor handing her back to the older blonde, who placed her in the bassinet next to Whitney. Whitney turned to look at Kol and kissed him softly and her hand caressed his face softly. "Thank you, Kol."

He kissed her back and nodded kissing her forehead before getting up from behind her. "I'm going to give the others a visit; they wanted me to keep them updated." He walked out of the room then went to find his sketchbook to sketch a new picture of mother and daughter. He opted for letting them rest because he didn't want to wake the newborn or the mother who had fallen asleep.

**Later**…

Whitney was awake propped up on a mound of pillows and holding her newborn infant in her arm smiling softly as the little girl cooed at her. She looked up hearing a light tap on the door and saw Niklaus with his very pregnant bride-to-be Caroline. "Niklaus, Caroline, what a lovely surprise." Klaus smiled softly as he walked over and sat in the chair beside her bed.

"May I hold her?" he asked gently, not wanting to impose.

"Of course, she might just be your future niece some day." She smiled and handed her child to Klaus, who held her and ran his thumb over her soft cheek. He gasped, feeling Madison wrap a tiny hand around his pinkie finger, gripping it. He looked up at Whitney, who just smiled knowingly.

"She did that to me earlier, too. Adorable, isn't it?" She watched as he nodded and then handed her off to Caroline, who smiled, kissing her forehead softly. She gasped also and chuckled at the feeling of her belly being kicked. She handed Madison back to Whitney before she dropped her then grabbed Klaus' hand and watched his expression as he felt his child kick for him. "It appears little Liam is active today." She chuckled and kissed him softly then looked at Whitney. "We'll let you have some more visitors." Caroline trailed off upon seeing Kol coming back into the room.

Kol nodded as his future sister in law and brother before sitting on the bed next to Whitney and leaned down kissing her softly. "How are you feeling?"

Whitney smiled and kissed him back. "I'm doing well, thank you, Kol. I did want to ask you something, though. Would you consider adopting Madison so she can take your last name?"

Kol nodded and leaned down to kiss her again and nibbled her lower lip before pulling away. "Of course I'll adopt her, Whitney. It would be my honor." He smiled and sat up hearing Eleanor call up the stairs that it was time for dinner. "I'll be right down, Eleanor!" He got up and smiled at Whitney. "Do you feel up to going down for dinner?"

She giggled as her stomach growled loudly. "Yeah, I do." She threw the covers aside and stood up with his help while she cradled her child once more. Whitney was now dressed in a fresh nightgown and skirt combination, her stomach having shrunk somewhat considerably after giving birth. She still had some pregnancy fat still, but knew it would go down eventually. She walked down the stairs with Kol, following close behind him and she gasped upon seeing everyone standing around talking. "Eleanor, you didn't…"

"I did, my dear. I thought you deserved something nice after everything you've gone through." Eleanor smiled at the blonde and hugged her softly so as not to harm Madison.

Whitney walked over and set Madison down in her bassinet smiling as her new baby slept soundly. She turned and walked over to Finn and Sage and as she saw him open his arms she wrapped her arms around him hugging him. She felt a sibling type bond with him ever since she met him when she was five and had fallen down and scraped her knee.  
Finn chuckled softly and hugged her back. "It's good to see you, Whit, and I'm sorry for your loss."

Whitney looked up at him and nodded. "Thank you, but I feel like he's watching over me from above now. I think he brought Kol to me when I needed him the most." She walked over to Kol and slipped her hand into his smiling and leaned up to kiss his cheek softly. She walked with him over to the table and sat down next to him and on her other side was Mikael who smiled and nodded at her.

"We are gathered here tonight not only to celebrate the birth of a new life into this world, but to also mourn the loss of the man who gave his life bravely protecting this country. Here's a toast to William and Madison!" He raised his glass as did everyone else and they clinked glasses before each sipped from it. "Now, let us eat." He smiled and sat back down and smiled at his wife resting a hand on her knee squeezing it softly.

Eleanor smiled affectionately at him, putting her hand over his and patting it firmly but gently. And then she sent a motherly smile around the table to all of her stepchildren, starting with Finn, then Elijah, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, Henrik, and then her own children with Mikael, twins Sabrina and Olivier. "We have been blessed."

"We truly have, my love," Mikael murmured back.

Finn smiled over at his wife when he heard his father and stepmother talking quietly, leaning toward her as she did the same and kissing her softly. Elijah mimicked his older brother, with his darling Katerina, Klaus with Caroline and Kol with Whitney. Rebekah and Sabrina both wrinkled their noses while Henrik and Oliver made kissing sounds. "Henrik, son, please do behave," Eleanor told her youngest stepson.

"Sorry, Ellie," he said, smiling brightly at her. Eleanor gave her own son a stern look when it looked like he was going to punch his half-brother in the arm.

"None of that nonsense, Olivier, you know better," she said in her thick, motherly British accent.

"I'm sorry, Mother," he said, hanging his head solemnly.

Mikael chuckled. "Let us not waste the meal, shall we?" he said. "I know that Eleanor worked hard to put it all together for our guest and her young child."

Whitney's cheeks turned bright red, but she still smiled at the Mikaelson patriarch. "Thank you for the hard work you put into making all this wonderful, Eleanor," she told the matriarch.

"Of course, dear; you know I already consider you part of the family even though you may not be blood." Eleanor smiled and reached across the table to hold her hand and squeezed it softly.

Whitney smiled back and once their hands let go of each other she looked around and couldn't decide what to eat there was so much food. She eventually decided on a small slab of steak, some mashed potatoes, and string beans. She sprinkled some salt and pepper on her food and ate it slowly so as not to get a belly ache or hiccups. She finished and stood up excusing herself and walked over to the bassinet and ran a finger softly over her daughter's cheek. She gasped lightly feeling hands come around her waist. "Sorry, love, I didn't mean to startle you," Kol apologized, kissing her cheek.

Whitney stood up and, turning in his arms, smirked at him. "I bet you can't catch me, if you can, you can have me for the evening."

"Oh, you're issuing a challenge, hmm? Well then, challenge accepted, Ms. Porter. You better be ready to eat those words." He smirked and waited for her to take off running.

Seeing his look, she turned taking off running and snuck in between Caroline and Niklaus. "Sorry!" she said running in between them and smacked straight into Finn's chest and fell. She scrambled back up giggling running away before hiding behind her father figure.

Mikael looked back and chuckled seeing his son come over searching for Whitney. He reached back and poked her side emitting a loud giggle. Whitney took off running again and around Elijah and Katherine who just shook their heads chuckling and squealed in delight when she was picked up and thrown over a strong shoulder. "Kol, put me down!" She beat her fists against his back amidst the laughter from his family.

"Eleanor, can you watch Madison for a bit?" Kol looked at her and smiled softly.

"Of course I can, Kol." Eleanor smiled and leaned into Mikael who wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her close.

Walking upstairs with Whitney slung over his shoulder and entering his room he tossed her gently on the bed. He went back to his door and shit it locking it and looked back at her smiling. "I love you, Whitney Porter." He stood in front of the bed and smiled down at her.

"And I love you, Kol Mikaelson." She smiled and grabbed him by the tie tugging him down to her kissing him.

Kol chuckled against her lips before pushing her down on the bed kissing her. "I don't wish to hurt you, Whit, since you did just have Madison today. Perhaps in a couple of weeks when you're all healed up…"

"Okay, Kol, but for now, can we just cuddle?" Whitney smiled up at her best friend and soon hoped that word would change to lover.

"Your wish is my command, darling Whitney." He crawled onto the bed, pulling her to him while tracing soft circles on her shoulder.

**Author's Note:** So, the whole thing with wars that happened in the states or abroad must be my new thing, because I really enjoyed writing this first chapter with my dear friend and "shipper" twin, Court. She is awesome, and although she's still learning when it comes to writing fan fiction, I'm more than willing to help her along the way.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Previously in "Live and Learn", Whitney Porter, who is engaged to be married, learns of her future husband's unexpected death. She later gives birth to a daughter, Madison, after moving in with her best friend, Kol Mikaelson._**

**Chapter Two**

**Salvatore Mansion**

"Tighter," Amanda Salvatore gritted through clenched teeth, glaring at the hesitant slave when they didn't follow her low spoken order. "I said tighter!"

"But, Madame Salvatore…" the slave protested, but Amanda turned and smacked her across the face.

"Do NOT talk back to me, slave," Amanda growled. "Now, make the corset tighter!"

"Daughter, what are you doing!? You know better than to slap a slave," Giuseppe said from the doorway of his daughter's bedroom suite.

"But, Father, she wasn't listening to me and spoke back to me. She deserved it!" She huffed and gave him her signature pout that usually meant that she got her way. "I expect it tighter when I return, slave." She turned and walked out past her father and went off in search of her brother Damon.

Amanda found her dark-haired brother in the bedroom of their other brother, Stefan, who was brooding over something…most likely the new girl in Mystic Falls. Honestly, the Salvatore daughter had no idea what he even saw in that blonde…Alexia Branson. "Damon, I need to speak with you," she said from the open doorway.

Damon looked up seeing his baby sister and got up off the bed making his way to her. "What's wrong, Mandy?"

"Can we walk?" She stepped back and went down the stairs lifting her skirt slightly as she went down the stairs and out to the garden.

Her oldest brother nodded too late but immediately followed after her, grasping her arm gently and curling her slender hand around the crook he made with his own arm. "Now, will you tell me the oh-so-pressing matter you have on your mind, my dear sister?" Damon asked.

"I worry for my future here, Damon," Amanda replied honestly. "I mean, what if I never get out of here? I even smacked my servant because I'm frustrated." She sighed as they continued to walk and she went in a path towards the stable and walked in to see her horse Misty and picked up a brush and began to brush her.

Damon mimicked his baby sister's actions, going over to his own horse, Rain. "I know it's been hard for you, Mandy, ever since our mother passed, but you've got me to look out for you and Stef," he told her.

"Yeah, but Damon, Stefan hardly ever seems there anymore with the way he's brooding over Alexia." She sighed, and, as she finished brushing Misty, she had a servant come over and saddle up her horse and help her onto Misty. "Want to go for a ride, Damon?"

"That sounds…kind of odd coming from you, sister, but nothing would please me more," Damon said with a grin.

His sister smirked at him. "Don't think of it as odd, just consider it an offer as possibly getting to see the lovely Miss Gilbert," she told him.

Damon just chuckled and mounted his horse once the servant saddled his up and looked at his sister. "Yeah, yeah you and Father tease me constantly about that. She is beautiful and I'm dying to know her."

Amanda sighed and nudged Misty walking her forward. "Well then, why don't you talk to her? I've seen the way she looks at you." She broke Misty in a trot and eventually a canter loving the way the wind flowed through her hair. She reached the top of a hill that overlooked the Gilbert home and she saw Elena out in the yard writing in her journal. She turned her head and saw her brother approach moments later.

She clicked her tongue and pulled gently on the reins to give them privacy while Damon smiled at Elena. "Good day, Miss Gilbert," he said quietly.

"Good day to you as well, Mister Salvatore," she said with a smile. "What brings you by on such a lovely day?"

"My sister finally pushed me enough to talk to you. What are you writing?" Damon smiled at her, getting off his horse and leaned his arms on the fence.

"This? Oh, it's just my journal. I write in it daily." She looked up at him and then blushed slightly, looking away.

"What's the matter, angel? Don't hide your face from me. It's too beautiful to hide." He smiled and reached down, placing a finger under her chin, tilting it up to look in her eyes again.

"Elena," she heard her name being called and she slipped her chin out of the whisper-soft touch Damon had used to bring it up, glancing up toward the front of the house to see her mother Isobel standing in the doorway.

"I have to go inside. I hope to see you soon, Damon," Elena said, giving him one of the smiles he favored more before standing and brushing off her hoop skirt and rushing off toward the house in a slow, gentle pace. When she finally reached the front porch, she smiled at the dark-haired Isobel. "Yes, Maman, what is it?"

"Who is that nice young man you were talking to?" Isobel asked as Elena walked into the house before shutting the door behind one of her four daughters.

Damon smiled as she turned walking off to her mother. He turned and got back on Rain and rode her back to where Amanda was. "Mandy!" He rode up next to her and grabbed her elbow gently. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "I think she does like me, Mandy."

Amanda grinned back at her eldest brother as he spoke about his experience with Elena. "So, why don't you court her then? I'm sure she'd want to be with you. I saw it in the way she looked at you." Damon nodded at his sister before they raced back to the stables.

Back at the Gilbert house, Elena blushed slightly. "That was Damon Salvatore, Maman. I like him…" Trailing off, she smiled at her mother. "Did you need help with anything, Maman?"

Isobel looked at her daughter and smiled softly hearing the name of the boy and seeing the way her daughter's eyes lit up and the blush cover her cheeks. "Just don't rush into anything, sweetheart. If he wants to court you then I'm okay with that, but he will need to ask your father's permission. It's what Elijah had to do when he wanted to court Katherine."

"Of course, Maman. Where is Papa?" Elena looked at her mother before setting her journal down on the table.

"I believe he is out in the stables, tending to the horses. Why don't you go visit him while I get dinner started?"

Elena nodded and disappeared out the back door and made her way to the stables, where she saw her father brushing one of the stallions. Smiling, she called out, "Papa?"

John turned to see his youngest daughter and smiled softly at her. "Yes, princess, what is it?" He walked over and leaned down bestowing a kiss upon her forehead.

"Papa, I like a boy. Damon Salvatore." She smiled up at him softly unsure of what he would say.

"Ah, so you fancy a Salvatore. How wonderful, princess. Giuseppe is a good friend of mine. You know the society rules, though; Damon has to ask my permission before courting you. Would you like to go for a ride?"

Elena nodded at her father and her eyes lit up when he asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. She dashed off as quickly as she could and dressed in her riding outfit. She put on a green cloth dress that buttoned up with steel buttons. She slipped on her shoes and placed the hat on her head and walked back to where her father was who smiled at her before helping her up on the stallion he had been previously brushing.

John also got onto the mother of the stallion his daughter preferred riding, and together, the father and daughter rode off toward the Salvatore mansion. Meanwhile, the remaining two of Elena's and Katherine's sisters, Tatia and Amara, walked into the Gilbert mansion after returning from town. "Maman, are you home?" Tatia called out.

"I'm in the kitchen, Tatiana," Isobel called out.

Tatia walked into the kitchen followed by Amara and she smiled at her mother. "Hello, Maman. Sorry we haven't been home; Mason and Silas distracted us." She finished with a giggle then perched on a chair at the table. "Where are Papa and Elena?"

"I believe your father and sister were off riding toward the Salvatore mansion. I don't know for sure, but I think your sister told your father of her affections for Damon," Isobel said with a knowing smile.

Amara and Tatia squealed in delight at hearing what their mother said and Isobel just chuckled at her daughters. Meanwhile, Elena and her father arrived at the Salvatore mansion an John got off his horse and helped Elena down off of hers and they walked up to the door and John knocked with the door opening to reveal a servant. "Will you please alert Giuseppe and Damon that they have visitors?" John asked the servant politely, and he nodded politely, going to fetch Giuseppe as requested.

"John, my good friend, won't you please come in? And I see you brought sweet Elena with you." He smiled and stood back, letting John and Elena in.

Damon walked downstairs upon hearing voices. "Father, do we have guests?" He trailed off upon seeing Elena and his father smiled at him.

"Damon son, why don't you go and entertain Miss Gilbert while John and I talk?" Giuseppe said and led John into the sitting room.

"Of course, Father. So, what brings you by, Miss Elena?" He smiled and held his arm out which Elena slipped her hand through and walked with her outside.

"Well, I told my father of my affections for you and we went for a ride over here. I guess he figured that if you wanted to court me, you could ask him here or something."

Damon nodded and led her over to a bench and sat on it with her following suit. "Well, you do look as lovely as ever and I would like to court you. May I?" He asked leaning closer to her. He watched as she nodded and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss before pulling away.

Back at the house, John smiled at Giuseppe. "So, all that you're saying is that your son wants to court my youngest daughter?"

"Damon is sweet on your young Elena," Giuseppe replied.

"It would seem that Elena has loved Damon since she was a child, so I think we shall agree that having him court her would be the right step?" John asked.

"Yes, that would be quite right." Giuseppe nodded at his long-time friend and his ears picked up the sound at the door opening, followed by the light giggles of Elena. "It seems that our lovebirds have returned and seem quite happy." He smiled and saw his eldest son and Elena come in.

Damon tickled Elena teasingly before walking with her into the sitting room. "Mr. Gilbert, I would like to ask your permission to court Elena." He looked at him feeling a bit nervous.

John rubbed his chin thoughtfully knowing it was making Damon to feel a bit nervous. "Yes, you may court my daughter, Damon. Treat her right or you will have to answer to me." He threatened him lightly before standing up to shake his hand and chuckled as his daughter hugged him tightly.

Amanda returned from putting her horse in the stable, finding her father and oldest brother in the sitting room. "Hello, Mr. Gilbert," she said with a sweet smile.

"Hello, Ms. Salvatore," John said, returning her smile.

"Judging from Damon's expression, I take it that he and Elena are now courting?" She smiled softly before gasping as her oldest brother picked her up and spun her around before setting her down.

"Father, I'm going to see Alexia," Stefan said as he entered the room.

"Stefan, wait," Giuseppe said, preventing Stefan from turning and walking out of the sitting room.

"What is it, Father?"

Giuseppe looked at his next oldest son smiling softly. "You know how I've been meeting with the Mikaelsons? Well, Mikael, Esther, myself and Eleanor; we've been meeting and we've decided the best course of action would be for you to marry their daughter Rebekah."

Stefan looked at his father anger clouding his eyes. "Father, you can't do this to me…" He cut off upon seeing his father's stern look. "I understand, Father."

"Good. You'll like Rebekah, she's a very sweet girl," Giuseppe told Stefan.

"Okay, Father. Might I go pay her a visit?" He smiled at his father while his hands were behind his back.

"Of course you may, son. Be sure to give my regards to Mikael, please?" Giuseppe smiled and turned back to John, talking to him softly.

**Mikaelson Mansion**…

Mikael stood his ground, looking at his daughter and trying to keep a stern look on his face. "Rebekah, darling, you can't honestly be upset with me. Stefan is a lovely young man. I'm positive you'll like him."

"How do you know that, Papa? I've never met him!" She huffed angrily, crossing her arms over her corset-bound chest. She watched a servant scurry by to answer the knock that came to the front door and let in the visitor.

The female servant came back and bowed before Mikael. "Master Mikaelson, there is a Mister Stefan Salvatore at the door asking for you."

"Thank you, Abigail; that will be all. Please go attend to Eleanor." He watched as the female servant nodded before walking off to see his wife. Mikael walked to the door and saw the son of his business partner & friend, Giuseppe. "Stefan, this is a wonderful surprise! What brings you by?"

Stefan smiled and shook Mikael's hand, standing straight and tall. "Father told me today of the arrangements to marry Rebekah. He also sends his regards. Damon is now courting Elena, and Mr. Gilbert and Father are talking. Might I have the chance to meet Rebekah?"

Mikael nodded then turned to see his daughter, placing a hand on either of her shoulders and walking her in front of him. "Stefan, I would like to present my daughter, Rebekah Annette Mikaelson." He smiled and waited for Stefan's reaction.

Stefan smiled, noting how she was really quite beautiful. "It's lovely to meet you, Rebekah." He smiled, picking up one of her hands and bowing kissed the top of her knuckles.

Rebekah smiled softly and felt a blush cover her cheeks as she felt him kiss the top of her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Stefan."

He seemed to remind her of her four older brothers, especially after she'd seen how Finn, Elijah and Niklaus had begun courting Sage, Katerina and Caroline. "I would love the opportunity to get to know a lovely young lady such as yourself. I take it you're the only girl in your family?" He inquired of her, willing to get to know a beauty such as her.

Rebekah smiled softly and shook her head. "I'm the oldest girl in my family, but I have a younger half sister named Sabrina." She smiled and turned to walk into the living room and sat in a chair.

Stefan followed and sat in a chair next to her turning to face her and smiled softly. He saw a servant walk over to Rebekah and curtsy before her. "Mademoiselle Mikaelson, would you care for anything?"

Rebekah smiled at the servant and nodded her head. "Yes, would you please fetch us some tea with honey?" She smiled and turned back to Stefan while the servant went to work preparing their tea. "What about you? Do you have any siblings?"

Stefan nodded and smiled at her. "Yes, I have an older brother, Damon who is courting John Gilbert's daughter Elena and then I have a twin brother, Silas, who is courting one of Elena's identical sisters, Amara. And then I have a younger sister, Amanda, who isn't being courted by anyone." He smiled and took the teacup from the servant once she returned from the kitchen and sipped at it, smiling at Rebekah.

"Well, I might have to meet your sister. She should get to know the friend of our family, Galen," Rebekah said with a smile, mimicking him and taking a sip of her own cup of tea.

Stefan chuckled and smiled at her over the rim of his cup. "I'm pretty sure, if any guy paid attention to her, she would be over the moon." He sipped at his tea finishing and set the cup and saucer on the table beside him. "Would you like to take a walk?" He stood up and held his hand out to her.

"A walk would be lovely, thank you," Rebekah replied, taking his hand after putting her own cup and saucer down. She turned and called up the stairs, "Father, I am going out for a walk."

Hearing his daughter, he answered her. "Alright, sweetheart, return soon!" He smiled and returned to his paperwork.

Meanwhile Stefan took her hand and placed it on his elbow and walked with her to the door and a servant opened it and he nodded thankfully and stepped onto the porch with Rebekah. "Tell me more about yourself, Rebekah." He smiled and they walked down to the path and walked with her down the tree lined path away from the house of prying ears and eyes.

"Well, I'm the only sister in my immediate family, which consists of four brothers older than me, and one younger, and then I have a half-sister, Sabrina, who I told you about earlier, and a half-brother, Olivier, who is the twin to Sabrina," Rebekah said with a smile.

"That's nice. And what are your brother's names?" Stefan asked.

"Let's see. There's Finn, the eldest. He's married to an Irish lass, her name is Sage. They have a daughter named Ruby, who's 4, and they're expecting another daughter that they'll be naming Bridget," Rebekah said. "And then there was Thomas, but he died before we came to Mystic Falls, from the plague in England. Elijah is the third-born, and he is married to Katerina. They don't have any children yet, but I hope they do soon. Then there is my brother, Niklaus, whom is kind of like my best friend; he's engaged to be married to Caroline Forbes, who is like another best friend to me since I did introduce them. And then there's Kol, the rambunctious one. He's also engaged to be married, to his best friend Whitney Porter." Rebekah finally took a breather, smiling still.

"And you said you have a younger brother?" Stefan prodded her.

"I do. His name is Henrik, and while he's not sweet on anyone, I'm sure he will be soon," the blonde replied honestly.

Stefan nodded and walked over to a bench and sat on it waiting for Rebekah to sit. "It sounds like you have a nice family Rebekah, one that I'm sure I'll know in due time. May I?" He asked as he leaned closer, his lips hovering a couple inches away from hers as his thumb caressed her cheek gently.

Rebekah nodded smiling at Stefan then replied, "Yes, you may. Thank you for asking."

Stefan leaned closer kissing her softly and smiled after he pulled away. "Well it seems only fair that I get you a beautiful ring to decorate your hand now Bekah."

"You don't have to do that. It is only a business arrangement, after all," she reminded him.

"Who said that it had to be strictly a business arrangement? What if I were to tell you that I want it to be more than that? Rebekah, I've been captivated by your beauty ever since I saw you in town a few months ago. Just because we're arranged to be married doesn't mean that I don't want to fall in love with you." Stefan smiled at her, still rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone softly.

"You shouldn't say things like that, Stefan. I saw the way that you were smitten with that Alexia woman," Rebekah said.

"Oh, you mean Lexi? She's simply my best friend, mainly because she's married to someone else. I was smitten with her until recently, when she told me that she had to break things off because she was married. I guess I was only trying to distract myself until the arrangement for our marriage was finally complete. I just want you to know, until the day our wedding happens, you'll haunt my every thought, whether I'm awake or asleep." He smiled and kissed her in a manner that proved his point.

"Stefan…" she started to say. "I know that you already feel something for me, but love won't accomplish this business arranged marriage."

"Well, we could always keep up the ruse of the business arrangement in public, and behind closed doors, we could just be free. I'm pretty sure if we spoke to our fathers, they would most likely agree." He smiled at her, kissing her forehead softly.

**Later**…

"It might work," Mikael said to his daughter and future son-in-law. "But, Rebekah, I want you to remember…love can come out of unexpected places. That's what happened for your mother and me. We fell in love, even though the marriage was arranged."

"Did you really, Father?" Rebekah asked with wide eyes.

"We really did," Mikael replied. He turned to the soft conversation that her future husband was currently involved in with his own father.

"Father, I can't help the way that I feel. The heart wants what the heart wants," Stefan said to his father, who just merely nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Stefan, just remember that in public, you two must behave merely in the arrangement, but inside, you may act freely." Giuseppe smiled at his son, who walked over to Rebekah, picked her up and twirled her around.

**Author's Note:** Here is the next chapter, happy reading. I know that Court (my twin) and I worked hard to get this finally to the update we thought was well deserved, so I hope you all enjoy it. The next chapter will be a complete surprise, one that I hope Court will start out juicy!


	3. Chapter 3

**_Previously in "Live and Learn", Stefan and Rebekah finally meet at the encouragement of their fathers and he agrees to the arranged marriage while Damon asks Elena if he can court her, after which he gets the okay from her father John._**

**Chapter Three**

**Fell Mansion**

Meredith Fell was in her family's sitting room working on a stitching project. She was currently stitching a bible verse. She heard the sound of the shoes of her younger sister and she looked up, smiling. "Hello Meghan, what are you up to?"

Meghan smiled at her sister, who was a few years older than her. "Mama told me to come see you and tell you that she wanted to see you." She sat on another chair and picked up her violin and began to play a soft melody after practicing her scales.

Nodding, Meredith finished her stitching before putting it away and stood up brushing off her skirt and walked out to where her mother was. "Mama, Meghan said you wished to see me?" She smiled down at her mother who lay in bed looking better than she had in days.

"Yes, Meredith. Would you mind going to the market for a few things for dinner, please?" She reached out a sickly hand and shakily gripped onto Meredith's.

"Of course I will, Mama. I shall return in a couple of hours. Please, get some rest, Mama. I hate seeing you like this." She smiled sadly and picked up the basket and slipped a few bits into the pocket of her dress then walked out the front door. She smiled, thinking of someone that had been on her mind constantly. Before long, she found her feet carrying her toward where she knew John Gilbert would be.

Hearing footsteps approach, John looked up from his work and saw the object of his desire. "Hello, Meredith, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Meredith didn't respond at first with words, but simply set her basket down, shut the door to his workshop then walked over to him. She stood in front of him and, leaning up, she pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss, finding that she liked it. "I apologize, John. I should go." She turned to walk away but found that she couldn't, and glanced down to find his hand gripping her wrist.

John tugged her back to him and leaned down, kissing her softly and in a demanding way before caressing her cheek. "I don't care if this is wrong. I've fallen for you, Merry. You make me happy, unlike Isobel."

Meredith bit her lip before she let herself snuggle into his embrace. "John, what if people were to find out about this? I mean, it's forbidden…"

"So, let them find out then, Merry. I don't care." He smirked slightly before kissing her temple. "Now, shouldn't you go back to your shopping and return home?"

She nodded and smiled walking over to her basket and picked it up. "Goodbye for now, John. I'll see you in my dreams."

After she was gone, John returned to his work but found that he couldn't concentrate as his mind went to the first time he'd encountered her and her beautiful body:

_**Three Months Earlier**…_

_Meredith didn't know why she'd even come here, to the square, in the first place, but she sat down on a bench anyway with a heavy sigh. She had a basket beside her and she pulled out a book trying to read it, but couldn't. She felt like someone was watching her and it made her the tiniest bit nervous. She put her book back in her basket and stood up walking into the forest as a shortcut to her home._

_John smiled watching the girl he had been observing from afar get up from her spot and walk into the forest. Against his better judgment, he decided to follow her. She had captivated him and he had to know her. He kept a couple feet behind her and his foot came down snapping a branch and he quickly hid behind a tree hoping she didn't see him._

_Meredith turned around quickly hearing the snapping branch. She yelped a bit in surprise and held a hand over her now beating heart. "Who's there? Show yourself!" She bit her lip and seeing no one she turned only to come into contact with a rock hard chest. She almost fell only to be caught by the person she ran into. "Oh, I'm so sorry."_

_John chuckled at her softly before releasing her arms once he was sure she wasn't going to fall over. "Don't be, beautiful. I'm sorry if I startled you so, I couldn't help myself. You're quite the lovely young lady and, if I may be so bold, may I know your age?" He smiled, standing there and not wanting to frighten her more than he already had._

_Meredith felt her cheeks heat up turning them pink when he told her she was beautiful. She just nodded when he told her that he was captivated by her beauty, but never in all of her years had the young woman heard something as sweet as that being said to her. "You're too kind, sir, but I just recently celebrated the anniversary of my birth, so I am now twenty-one years of age."_

_"And quite a lovely young woman you are. I am John Gilbert and I am thirty years of age. Might I be so bold as to ask of your name?" He smiled at her and waited patiently._

_"I am Meredith Fell, daughter of Gail and Marcus Fell. I am also the older sister to Meghan Vanessa Fell." She smiled back at him, seeing how it was contagious._

_"That is a lovely name for a lovely woman indeed." He smiled picked up her hand kissing the top of her knuckles. He stepped closer and placed his hand beneath her chin lifting it so she could gaze at him better. "May I?" He said still keeping a hold on her chin._

Meredith looked up at him and smiled softly looking into his eyes. "You may." She whispered in response waiting to see what he would do next. No one had ever fancied her enough to even bother trying to court her.

_John leaned forward more and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. As soon as his lips touched hers, he felt like a spark ran through his body that he never felt when kissing Isobel. He only married her out of convenience, nothing more. The way he felt around Meredith, he wanted to feel that way for the rest of his life._

_Wrapping his arms around her slender body, as young as she was, John couldn't stop himself from angling his head to the side, letting his hands lower to explore along the curves of her waist as his tongue probed at the closed seam of her lips. Meredith let a soft gasp escape her and John dove in for the kill, or rather, the demand that she surrender to him and she did so immediately, trembling in his passionate embrace._

_Meredith dropped her basket and wrapped her arms around his neck holding him closer to her as they kissed. After a few minutes, she needed air and she pulled away gasping for air. "John, what are you doing? You're married."_

_John smiled down at her and placed his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs rubbing them in slow circles. "Meredith, I've never been in love with Isobel, I only married her out of convenience. With you, everything feels right even though this is forbidden. I want to break off my marriage with her anyways. I've been sleeping on the couch; she doesn't seem to love me the way I know you could."_

_"John, I would love to, but won't she try to keep you glued to her?" She looked at him quizzically._

_"Merry, come three months time, I won't have her married to me anymore. I've seen her looking at someone named Enzo and I'm positive that she's having an affair with him... I'm going to talk to her when I return home." John smiled and kissed her forehead before walking off._

_But Meredith immediately rushed after him, turning him around and standing up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. John smiled against her lips then returned her kiss before breaking it off to sweep her into his arms, the hoop of her skirt gathering around the arm that held her knees firmly and he carried her toward the nearest building, stepping inside since he could because it was his building. Once inside, he set her down and closed the door behind them, making the building pitch black._

_Quickly, John got to work to find a lantern, bringing it to the front and turning the canteen up until a flame had been lit. It brightened the room a little more; making the shadows cast an eerie orange glow on the walls of the empty office part of the building. After he was finally finished, he turned around to see Meredith down to her bloomers…and beautifully so._

_Meredith smiled as he carried her and set her down once he got inside the building. She watched as he walked and was getting the lantern lit. While he was doing that she took off her dress and bonnet. She pulled the pins out of her hair and felt it tumble down her back to her bottom. She shivered slightly and saw him turn and look at her. "Don't you know that it's quite rude to stare, John?"_

_John just strode over to her ridding himself of his shirt and shoes tossing the soft material to the floor. "Oh, I know, but I couldn't help myself. You're even more beautiful without a dress covering you." He placed his hands on the wall behind her on either side of her head leaning down to kiss her. He grunted in appreciation feeling her press her almost completely naked frame to him and he ran one hand over the soft curve of her waist. He picked her up, and keeping his lips firmly attached to hers, carried her over to the desk and set her down upon it._

_After doing that, John let one hand glide upward along one side of her slender frame until he had come to the upper part of the two-part bloomer set she wore, the touch of his hand tender and whisper-soft as one finger tugged at the ribbon that kept him from seeing the rest of her. "You're beautiful, you know that?" he said in a soft murmur._

_"Am I? Are you sure you're not speaking of Meghan? She always seems to have boys fawning over her and following her wherever she goes. And she doesn't even seem to mind, although I think she has taken an interest in one of them, a Tyler Lockwood." She bit her lip before reaching back to help him untie the upper part of her garments and when it was loosened enough, she boldly took it off and tossed it to the floor and looked at him._

_Hearing what she said John listened carefully hearing her doubt ringing through her voice. He gently cupped one of her cheeks with his other hand rubbing his thumb softly over her porcelain skin. "No, Merry, I am talking about you. I've never met your sister, but even if I had, I wouldn't think her to be more beautiful than you."_

_He gasped lightly as she undid the rest of her top portion and tossed it to the floor. His eyes raked over her body and he unconsciously licked his lips. His one hand came to run over her chest, and his thumb grazed over her nipple causing it to rise a bit. John stepped back causing him to hear Merry whine at the loss of his touch and he just smirked. "Just wait a moment, darling…" With that being said he stepped back to rid himself of the rest of his clothing._

_Watching what he was doing and seeing his completely naked form, Merry began to squirm a bit on top of his desk and eventually she wiggled out of the rest of her bloomer set and sat there completely naked atop his desk. "John…" She whined wanting to feel his glorious touch all over her again._

_John smirked at her, stepping close. "Yes, my love, what is it?"_

_She wiggled beneath the look he was giving her then proceeded to let her slim legs reach to wrap around his waist to bring him closer until she could completely wrap them around it. "Don't tease me. You know I don't like it," she said with a flirty pout at him._

_"Oh, I have no intention of teasing you. I intend to give you everything you desire." With that being said, he leaned down and her deliciously sexy pout and let his lips travel down to her neck where he nipped it softly smirking hearing her moan at that. He continued south and picked up one of her thighs kissing it softly moving his mouth closer to her waiting core where his tongue flicked out licking slowly upwards in a teasing manner._

_"John," Meredith whined and tugged at his hair, forcing his head back up. "I asked you not to tease me. It's not very nice." She pouted, crossing her arms._

_"I'm sorry, beautiful. I couldn't help myself." He smiled softly before pulling her so she was almost off the desk. "Are you sure you're ready, Merry? I don't wish to hurt you."_  
_He let one of his hands cup one her round globes fondling it a bit before taking it in his mouth sucking on it slightly._

_"It's okay. I know you won't." She drug out the last word feeling what he was doing with his mouth and her head tipped back as she let a loud moan leave her small mouth. "F…John!"_

_John smirked pulling off of her delicious round globe and pushed himself into her glistening wet core groaning as he felt her walls clamp around him in a vice like grip. "Merry, you're so tight." He moved in and out of her slowly before picking up his pace. Soon, he would pull out almost completely before slamming back into her tiny body groaning at the feeling._

_**A couple hours later**…_

_John had laid with Merry on some straw bedding he had in the back and he facing her running his fingers softly over her spine. "I love you, Meredith Adrianne Fell." He kissed her forehead softly and smiled at her._

**Present, Gilbert Home** ...

"Will you just admit it, Isobel? You're having an affair with him, aren't you?" John glared sternly at his soon to be ex-wife. "I can't even stand to be around you anymore. I never even loved you." John stepped closer, causing Isobel to walk back, nearly stumbling in her gown.

"John, I never meant for this to happen." She was cut off by a stern look, cutting her words off, which felt like a slap to the cheek.

"Get out. Get out, Isobel, and don't come back, if all you're going to do is lie to my face. I love someone else and I fully intend to make her my wife. At least she knows how to love, unlike you, you ungrateful wench!" John glowered at her then tugged on his wedding band, letting it be thrown at her feet before he stormed out.

As soon as he left Isobel let a smirk appear. Finally she was rid of her husband after a year of being unfaithful to him. She was surprised he never found out until now. She simply went upstairs and packed her clothes into a suitcase and walked out of her former bedroom only to be met by her oldest daughter Tatia.

"Maman, where are you going?" Tatia looked at her mother curiously wondering why she wasn't wearing her ring and had a suitcase.

"Your father and I have decided to no longer be together, Tatiana. We have found new loves. I've never been happy anyways. You and your sisters can decide whether you want to live here with your father and his soon to be new wife or myself and my soon be new husband." Isobel smiled at her eldest before walking downstairs and out the door to go to Enzo's.

After her mother was gone, Tatia sank to the floor. She'd always thought her parents' relationship, their marriage, meant something to both of them, but it turned out that she'd been wrong. She also wanted to look back on the life they'd had together and hope it would help her in the path to accept Mason's unexpected proposal, but now, she felt lost.

Grabbing her shawl on the way out, the young woman left the mansion shortly after her mother then headed in the direction of the Lockwood mansion, where she knocked on the glass partition of the front door. Mason strode to the door hearing it being knocked on softly. He opened it to see Tatia looking the tiniest bit lost. "Tatiana, what's wrong, my love?"

"My…my parents are getting a divorce," she finally sobbed out.

"Oh, Tatiana darling…" He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Well, maybe they weren't happy, my sweet. You never have to fear though. I won't ever leave you. I love you too damn much."

"I love you too," she said softly, clutching onto the waistcoat he wore.

Mason smiled and, placing a finger underneath her chin, he lifted it up and leaned down kissing her softly. "Have you thought anymore on my question?"

Tatia smiled as he kissed her and nodded. "Yes, Mason, you have reassured me. Mason Alexander Lockwood, I would love to marry you and become your wife."

Mason grinned and picked her up twirling her around. "You have just made me the happiest person alive, Tatiana." He smiled and set her back down on her feet before sweeping her up bridal style and carrying her into his room and set her down on the bed. He turned around to shut and lock his door and when he turned back he gasped seeing Tatia down to her undergarments.

"What's the matter, mi amour?" she asked in a flirtatious tone. "Haven't you ever seen a lady in her undergarments?"

"To be honest, Tatiana, only once in my life, yes, but she manipulated me, so I left her. You're only the second woman I've seen this way." He smiled and as he strode over to her, he removed his shirt but kept his breeches on. He stood in front of her and caressing her cheek he kissed her before running a hand over her soft curves.

Keeping her lips attached to Mason's she moved backwards to allow him to join her on his bed. She shivered slightly feeling his one hand wrap around behind her successfully undoing the top half of her set and tossed the material to the floor.

Mason had moved so he was straddling his new fiancé's hips. "Oh, Tatiana, you're so gorgeous." He smiled before leaning down to place open mouthed kisses down her chest and to her belly before coming back up to capture one of small globes in his mouth sucking on it slightly while his other hand came up to her other one to cup it and tweak the nipple slightly and smirked against her skin hearing her soft mewls of pleasure.

"M…Mason," Tatia whined slightly her hands coming to grip his hair tugging on it slightly.

Mason pulled on with a soft pop before looking at her smiling softly. "Yes, my love, what is it?" He ran his hands up and down her sides before hooking his thumbs in the waistband of her bottom half of her set.

"Don't you know it's rude to tease a lady? Please don't tease me." She pouted at him sexily and her hands ran over his strong arms gripping them slightly.

"Oh, I would never, my love. That would be rude of me, especially to my new fiancé." He nuzzled her neck before kissing it softly. He shifted and pulled off the rest of her undergarments and his pants & undergarments before nestling in between her legs. He picked up one of her thighs before pushing himself into her waiting core. He kissed her thigh nipping it slightly as he began to move inside of her.

Tatia strained to meet him halfway, her slim legs wrapping around his muscled waist before she gently pushed until she was hovering over him. "Good. Because, now it's my turn to tease you," she said with a grin.

Mason smirked as he looked up at her and she was astride him. "Well have at it, my sweet; I would enjoy being teased by you." He winked and ran his hands over her thighs.

Her hips began to rotate in slow circles, which drove Mason wild and he growled at her. "Ah, ah, ah, Mason," she said, wagging a finger at him. "No growling at your future wife; it isn't nice."

Mason just simply huffed and sighed exasperated. "Then stop doing that, you know what it does to me." He reached his hand up and smacked her bottom smirking.

As soon as he did that, Tatia squeaked. "Ooh, do it again, baby," she said on a slight growl.

"Does that turn you on?" Mason asked in a low, husky tone.

"Maybe it does and maybe it doesn't. Either way, you'll have to figure it out for yourself," she replied.

Mason smirked and raising his hand he smacked her bottom a tad harder than before. He did the same with his other hand on the other side of her perfect bum.

**Author's Note:** Thus ends another chapter. I will probably try and focus some more on John & Isobel's marriage and relationship in the next chapter then focus a little on their daughters as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Previously in "Live and Learn", John & Meredith remember the first time they met while John kicks Isobel out. Tatia accepts Mason's proposal of marriage._**

**Chapter Four**

**Later – Gilbert Mansion**

Jeremy walked in to find two of his four cousins working on some needlepoint pillow-tops of some sort. "Hello, cousins." He smiled softly standing in the doorway. He heard what happened between his Aunt and Uncle from his father and he felt sorry for the girls.

Amara looked up from her needlepoint and setting it down she got up and walked over to Jeremy hugging him. "Hello, Jeremy." Her lower lip trembled and she felt fresh tears and she buried her face in her cousin's chest crying softly.

"Hey, Amara, it's going to be okay." He smiled resting his chin on top of her head. "I don't think Aunt Isobel and Uncle John were very happy with each other. Why don't you go visit Silas? He makes you happy, Mara." Jeremy smiled down at his cousin who nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea, Jeremy. Thanks." She smiled and walked out the door and over to Silas'.

Jeremy sat in the seat she vacated and looked at Katherine. "Are you doing okay, Kitty Kat?"

She smirked at him slightly at the nickname. "I'm doing as well as can be expected. It's not every day that you learn your parents' marriage is deteriorating in front of your very eyes," she replied softly.

Jeremy patted her arm and smiled softly at her. "I know, Kat, but at least you have Elijah to lean on for support. I'm surprised he hasn't asked you to marry him yet." He smiled at her wanting to get off the topic of her parents' divorce.

"We are biding our time. With Finn just easing into the family business, Elijah is easing out of it so that we can prepare for the arrival of Caroline and Niklaus' child," Katherine replied.

Jeremy chuckled. "Biding your time, huh? That sounds like it might not happen, cousin. You better drop a few hints before he's snatched up by that woman I heard he used to be engaged to eons ago," he told Katherine.

Katherine scowled and looked at her cousin. "Hmm…I suppose you're right. I'll have to talk to him when I see him this evening. What about you? Have you done anything about your affections for a certain Annabelle?"

"I just met her! Why is everyone asking me if I'm sweet on her?" Jeremy said in a slightly raised tone.

Katherine merely smirked at his reaction. "It could be the way that you two seem awfully cozy." She stood up stretching slightly and yawning a bit.

Jeremy shook his head at her. "Well, if you must know, I'm interested in her, but I'm not going to marry her anytime soon," he said.

"I never said anything about marrying the girl, Jeremy. Oh darn, I should go and get ready for the dinner with Elijah."

"Go and enjoy yourself, Katherine," Jeremy said, standing and placing an affectionate kiss to the top of her head before departing via the way of the kitchen.

"Thank you, Jeremy." She smiled as he kissed the top of her head. She went into her room and found a pretty sapphire blue dress and she got ready and went over to the Mikaelson mansion. She knocked on the door.

A servant soon came and answered the door, nodding at Katherine. "Someone will be right in, Miss Gilbert," the servant said, stepping back to let Katherine in.

"Thank you." Katherine stepped in and stood in the foyer. While the servant went to fetch someone she turned and looked at the various pieces of artwork hanging on the walls. She had her back turned so she didn't even hear someone walk up behind her. She let out a squeal as familiar hands were placing on her hips. She turned around and had a wide grin plastered on her face. "Must you always do that, Elijah?"

Elijah just chuckled and smirked at her reaction. "Well, it always gets you to smile, does it not, Miss Gilbert?" He smiled and leaned down pressing a kiss on her lips softly.

Katherine smiled and kissed him back. "Hmm, that it does. Although I find myself smiling whenever I'm around you anyways." She smiled and hooked her arm through his as they walked into the eating area. "Hello, Sir and Mademoiselle Mikaelson…" Katherine curtsied politely before she sat in a chair that Elijah had pulled out for her.

"Hello again, Katerina," Mikael said, greeting the young woman with a warm smile.

Katherine smiled and put some food on her plate and daintily ate at it. After a bit, she set her utensils down on her empty plate and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. She saw a servant come over and replace her empty plate with a cup of tapioca pudding. She turned to Elijah smiling, "So, you said you had a matter to discuss with me, Elijah?"

"Yes, I did, Katerina." But, somehow, he was scared that he might break her heart or she his if the proposal was not accepted.

"Elijah? What is it? I promise I don't bite." She smiled trying to ensure him that if he did ask her to marry him that she wouldn't turn him down or break his heart, because in turn of denying his proposal she'd break her own heart as well.

Standing, Elijah moved around the table and went over to where she sat, turning her, and her entire gown along with her, until she was facing him. She smiled at Elijah and kept her hands in her lap and tilted her head to the side curiously watching him. She ran one of her hands nervously through her curls and looked at Eleanor and Mikael wondering if they had any idea what was going on. "Katerina, ever since I first gazed upon you laughing with your sisters in the general store, I have come to love you. And I come to you today, as a man, to ask if you will accept this ring?" Elijah said, holding up a beautiful engagement ring that was fit just for her.

Katherine gasped when Elijah opened the box and inside sat a gorgeous engagement ring. One of her hands flew up to her mouth covering it as she simply nodded in response as a few tears slid down her cheeks. She let Elijah slip the ring on her finger and she leaned forward kissing him.

Elijah smiled as she accepted his proposal and he kissed her back softly before standing up and held a hand out to her helping her up. He looked at his stepmother and father who were beaming.

"Congratulations, Katerina. Welcome to the family." Mikael smiled as Katherine walked over and hugged him. Eleanor just smiled hugging one of her elder stepsons.

"Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson. I am honored to be part of such a wonderful family," Katherine said as she then hugged Eleanor while Mikael and Elijah shook hands.

**Meanwhile – Mystic Falls Grocer**…

Whitney smiled down at her sleeping daughter who was just shy of a month old. She was walking down an aisle reaching up to get something and placed it in the cart when familiar hands wrapped around her waist causing her to squeal.

She heard a familiar chuckle and she turned smacking him on the chest, as he said, "Hey, hey, no need to beat up your fiancé now, darling." He smiled kissing her pressing them against a shelf.

"What are you doing? Someone could see us," she hissed at him.

Kol just smirked and kissed her cheek. "Well then, why don't we see if Eleanor would be willing to watch Madison for the evening? I've been craving a desire to ravish you for a few days now, love." He looked at her darkly before kissing her neck to emphasize his point.

Whitney just bit her lip and shoved at his shoulders gently. "Alright, I'll ask her later when we return to the mansion. Do you want to help me finish my shopping for Madison?"

"How about I take Madison for a walk while you finish the shopping, darling?" he asked before gently easing Madison out of her arms.

Whitney trusted very few people with her newborn daughter. She trusted Kol completely since he was going to be Madison's father soon anyways. She got anxious when she was away from her daughter for quite a while. She smiled at Kol before kissing his cheek and continued gathering the things she needed for Madison. It was about a half hour later when the clerk counted out the prices of the different stuff and she paid for it.

Kol didn't venture very far from the grocer that was owned by the O'Reilly family, his sister in law Sage's parents; instead, he chose to take a walk on one side of the square. Whitney exited the store and ventured over to Kol. She smiled seeing that Madison was still sleeping soundly. "Are you ready to go, Kol?" she groaned slightly at the weight of the bags.

"I'm ready whenever you are, love," he said, switching with her, taking the weight of the bags off her mind and giving her more time to cuddle Madison close.

She smiled as he switched with her and she held Madison smiled kissing her forehead softly. "Well, we should go back to the house anyways. I need to talk to Eleanor." She smiled before walking towards the house which was only about a ten minute walk away from where they were.

Kol kept an even pace with her despite all the bags weighing the muscles in his arms down and making it almost impossible to keep walking. "Are you alright, Kol?" Whitney looked at him concerned before she opened the door. "Eleanor? Are you home?" She set Madison down in her bassinet before helping Kol put the stuff away.

Eleanor was in the sitting room with Sabrina, teaching her daughter how to do her first needlepoint, but the lesson wasn't going very well. "I'm in the sitting room, darling," she called out softly.

Whitney walked out to the sitting room and saw Eleanor and Sabrina. "Would you mind watching Madison for the weekend? Kol and I wanted to get away, if that would be alright with you?" Whitney looked at Eleanor hopefully.

Eleanor chuckled seeing her look and she just nodded. "Of course I will, darling. Go have fun." She turned back to Sabrina and sighed. "No, darling, through there…" She smiled at Whitney who just went upstairs to pack a bag she guessed.

Whitney scurried upstairs and packed a bag and she dropped the bag upon feeling Kol kiss her, and when he pulled away, she giggled. "Eager, are we?" She smiled as he picked up her bag and his and she followed him downstairs. "Eleanor, perhaps when we return, you and I could sit down to discuss plans?" She smiled as Eleanor nodded in answer.

Kol took Whitney's hand as they walked out to the carriage and got in and took them to their destination and he helped her out once they got there. "You're beautiful, you know that?" he said as he helped her into the beautifully designed cabin that his family used for getaways.

Whitney's cheeks turned pink as Kol complimented her. "Am I? Guess I never really believed it." She said standing in the area by the door and turned to look at Kol biting her lower lip and she gasped as he walked her backwards and pressed her back against the wall.

Kol smiled down at her before leaning down to kiss his fiancé and he felt her hands running down his chest. He just used one hand to pin both of her wrists above her head. His lips traveled down her jaw line with soft kisses. "Yes, you are," he said against the skin of her neck, traveling down from her jaw.

**Author's Note:** Do you love it? Do you hate it? Let us know!


	5. Chapter 5

**_Previously in "Live and Learn", Katherine questions her cousin Jeremy about his crush on Anna and if he's planning to act on it. Elijah proposes to Katherine while Kol and Whitney have a baby-free weekend at his family's cabin outside of Mystic Falls._**

**Chapter Five**

Amanda sighed as she paced waiting on Galen. They had been together for seven months now and he said he had something to give her. She raised a hand rubbing it softly over her quite pregnant stomach. She was seven months pregnant with their child and she couldn't be happier. She gazed out the window after sitting down thinking back to the time.

_**Ten Months Earlier**…_

_Pacing back and forth, Amanda grew restless as she waited for her oldest brother to return from the war, having gotten a letter from him just a few days before. He'd also asked if a friend he'd made during his short time in the war could begin writing her letters, and Amanda had agreed readily. Through the countless weeks of letters, Amanda and Galen Vaughn had begun to "court" each other, and although Amanda had no idea what the Scotsman looked like, she couldn't wait to finally meet him face to face. Her senses immediately picked up on the soft **thudding** that came from outside and the Salvatore sister rushed out onto the front porch, grinning when she saw her brother Damon and the sandy-haired man holding him up. "Damon," she called out, lifting up the ends of her gown to hurry down the steps and rush over the cool, wet grass, which had been gained from the recent rain to her oldest brother, who swept her into a fierce hug despite his injury._

_"It's great to see your smile, Mandy," Damon said as she leaned into the affectionate kiss he placed at her temple, holding her as she sobbed quietly. Letting her go gently, he kept one arm around her still shaking shoulders to nod at the guy he'd been walking with. "Amanda Salvatore, I'd like you to meet Galen Vaughn. Galen, I believe you know my sister somewhat intimately, but this is her…in person."_

_"It's nice to finally meet ye, Amanda," Galen said as he picked up her slender hand that was holding tightly onto a handkerchief and placed a gentle kiss onto her knuckles. "Ye letters kept me smiling and I felt as if I already know ye, lass; even if we had not yet made each others' acquaintances…"_

_Amanda felt her heart begin to race when she heard Galen's accented words, half of which she couldn't really understand, but that didn't matter…she was falling for him. Harder than she'd ever thought she could fall for a man, and he was her brother's war-mate. "It's nice to finally meet you too, Galen. Damon must have told you that I am currently unwed?" Amanda said as she hugged her brother again the best that she could with one arm, the other still holding Galen's._

_**Later**…_

_Amanda was just letting her hand rise to knock on the door to Galen's assigned bedroom when it opened to reveal him in just his breeches, chest and feet bare. "Amanda lass, what are ye doin' here?" he asked._

_"I thought I would check up on you, since you did not come down for dinner earlier," she said softly, her head lowering as a blush crept up onto her fair-skinned cheeks._

_"I was not hungry, lass. But I am now…for ye," Galen said before reaching out and snatching her into the room, closing the door behind him and pressing her against it. Amanda gasped but it was cut off by the force and demand of his tongue wanting between her lips._

_"You…you cannot kiss me like that in my father's home!" Amanda gasped as she pushed him away, her hand lifting to smack him across the face, which fell to the side at the force of her slap._

_Galen's head turned at the force of her slap and he sighed, knowing he had just met up to his mistake for kissing her. "I am sorry, lass. Ye are very beautiful and my feelings for ye have only intensified upon seeing you. I know it was wrong, but I could not help myself. I humbly apologize, lass." He looked at her apologetically and hoped she could find it in her heart to forgive him._

_Amanda stood there scowling at him angrily after she slapped him. She heard what he said and her anger dissipated from her face and her heart. She smiled and bit her lip after hearing his apology and she stepped forward. "It's okay, Galen. I understand were you're coming from. My father would be extremely upset, however, if he found out about this."_

_"Then, we should tell him, lass. First thing tomorrow, me and ye are going to tell your Da about us," Galen said, one hand reaching up to caress over her cheek._

_She smiled leaning into his hand and bit her lip. "Galen, I'm scared. I'm his youngest and only daughter. I'm afraid he'll forbid you from seeing me. I don't care if he did forbid me. I'd still see you."_

_"I will not let ye worry about such things at this time of night, Amanda lass. We will talk to ye Da in the mornin', okay?" Galen said before kissing the top of her head._

_Amanda nodded then stole another quick kiss and turning to depart his bedroom, grinning over her shoulder at him when she could feel him watching as she entered her own bedroom just down the hall. "Good night, Mr. Vaughn," she said to be polite in case her father was listening._

_**The Next Morning**…_

_Amanda smiled as her personal servant tied up her corset and then helped her into a red and white layered gown that had a bow on the right side. She sat in a chair as smiled as Amelia began to brush out her long tresses and pinned it out of her face. She stood up and nodded at her servant who began to make her bed and she walked downstairs and curtsied before her father. "Good morning, Father. Might Mr. Vaughn and I have a word with you over tea?"_

_"I don't see a problem with it, dear. To what does it concern though?" Giuseppe asked as he looked up from the papers on his desk._

_"Well, he's been courting me through letters and I wish for it to become more than that, Father." She trailed off, not daring to look him in the eyes scared that he would refuse her request._

_"Yes, yes. I will see you for tea later, daughter. First, though, I have some business things to take care of," her father said with a soft smile. Amanda returned the smile before going over to kiss the top of Giuseppe's head affectionately and exiting his office in the same manner she had entered it._

_Amanda was walking along and gasped running into Galen's chest and she pulled away blushing. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Vaughn." She bit her lower lip slightly looking at the ground and felt his finger beneath her chin and she was forced to look at him._

_"Aye, lass, it's alright. What did yer Da say?" Galen looked at her, smiling softly thinking it was cute the way she had run into him and knew he had to be patient, but the thoughts coursing through his head weren't all too patient. He continually thought about tearing her clothes off and ravishing her and had even dreamed of such thoughts._

_Amanda smiled softly then replied, "He said he would see us for tea later where we could discuss things further. He was doing some business in the office. Did you want to go for a walk?"_

_"I wish I could, lass, but I have a lot of work to do for yer Da. Perhaps ye can find me later and ask me?" Galen suggested._

_She nodded sadly and walked away after speaking. "Yes, of course." She walked along and outside sighing and barely even noticed someone was following her._

_Stefan saw his baby sister and he walked up wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong, Mandy?" He looked at her concerned. She had never been this down before not unless you counted their mother's death._

_"I worry, Stefan. What does my future hold, especially since Father will soon be accepting the hand in marriage Galen has asked for?" Amanda replied in a quiet, honest tone._

_"Amanda Joy Salvatore. Why do you even worry when you have a man in the house that loves you for who you are? I think Father is just happy that all three of his children have found people they love unconditionally to marry and start a family of their own with." Stefan smiled and affectionately kissed her temple._

_"Whatever would I do without you, Stefan?" Amanda asked with a grin._

_Stefan chuckled and walked with her for a couple more hours before he smiled leaving her. "I don't know. You'd probably mope around. Listen, I have to leave to see Rebekah. Will you be okay?"_

_Amanda nodded, smiling and hugging her elder brother tightly. "Of course, Stefan; give Bekah my regards?" She smiled again and walked into the house then walked into the tea room, where she sat at the table, watching as a servant poured her tea. Amanda then looked between her father and Galen. "Father?" she asked as she pressed her lips together, but she was cut off by her father raising a hand to stop her._

_"Let me speak first, child." Turning to Galen, Giuseppe said, "I know that you are interested in my daughter, Mr. Vaughn, but I have rules in my home. And those rules include courting her in person first. Then I will think on the matter of asking for her hand in marriage."_

_Amanda heard what her father said and she set her napkin down before standing up spilling her cup of tea. "But, Father…that's not fair!" she whined a bit looking at him and stomped her foot a bit going into full princess mode. "I won't stand for this!" She huffed and pouted crossing her arms over her chest._

_"Sit up straight, child. We do not slouch in this house," Giuseppe told her with a firm tone. "And you will still get to have your chance with Galen; however, he must work for your hand in marriage. That will mean chores, which consist of taking care of the property, the fields, the stables, etc. Do you find that to your satisfaction, Mr. Vaughn?"_

_"Aye, I do, sir," Galen replied. "I will work hard for ye, sir. I promise."_

_"Good. We'll start with the fields then," Giuseppe said._

_Amanda just simply glowered at her father angrily. She didn't see why Galen had to work for her hand in marriage. Once they were done speaking, she stood up and walked away up to her room and slammed the door throwing herself on her bed crying softly. She heard a knocking and she glared at her bedspread in between her tears. "Go away!"_

_Damon chewed his lower lip hearing his younger sister and just shook his head walking in and shutting the door behind him. He sat in a chair facing Amanda and looked at her concerned. "Amanda? What's the matter?"_

_"I hate Father. He treats me like I'm a prisoner. I'm eighteen, Damon. EIGHTEEN! I don't want to be treated like I'm ten." She pouted and looked at her brother wiping her tears away._

_"You're his only daughter, Mandy. He just wants you to feel safe and secure," Damon told her._

_"Yes, but to make my future husband WORK for my hand in marriage? That doesn't seem like Father," Amanda said, still pouting._

_"Don't think too much about it, Mandy. You'll get to marry Galen no matter what," Damon said._

_"I know, Damon. It's just that I want him all to myself. He shouldn't have to work for Father just to prove he's worthy." Amanda sighed and stood up pacing a bit._

_"You will still have him, Mandy. You worry too much. If you do that, you're going to turn into me," Damon said with a smirk._

_Amanda turned and looked at him then burst into laughter. "I don't think that the world is ready for a female Damon Salvatore," she said between her laughter._

_Damon smirked again then grabbed his baby sister around the waist, tickling her mercilessly. "Oh, I would think not." He continued to tickle her even with her squealing and protesting for him to stop. He eventually stopped and hugged her before kissing the top of her head. "Don't worry, Mandy. You'll have Galen soon enough, I'm sure of it."_

**Present Day**…

Amanda didn't realize that she'd fallen asleep until she felt someone shaking her gently awake. She gasped and her eyes fluttered open, blinking them several times as she looked up at her husband. "Galen? What time is it?" She yawned sleepily before standing up from her rocking chair.

"It's nearin' dusk, lass, but that doesn't matter. What have ye been doin'?" he asked as he reached out a hand in case she fell or something.

"I was thinking about the time that Damon returned home, and you were with him, and we met for the very first time," Amanda replied. Galen nodded and smiled softly down at his wife. He loved that she was shorter than he because it meant that he could bend down to kiss her. He did just that kissing her softly and chuckled against her lips. Amanda smiled kissing him and nipped his lower lip tugging at his hair. "You kept me waiting. It's not nice to keep a lady waiting, especially your wife." She gave him a playful pout before waddling off to their room.

Halfway there, however, she doubled over in pain, biting her lip to keep from crying out at the first contraction that hit. She definitely wasn't prepared for her baby to arrive so early into the world, but he or she had other plans for her it seemed. Galen sensed something was wrong when he didn't hear Amanda. He rushed up the stairs and to her side, picking her up bridal style before calling for a servant to fetch Eleanor Mikaelson and to alert her that Amanda was in labor. He soothed her kissing her forehead softly. Moments later he heard the door open and two female voices floating in, one of which belonged to Eleanor while the other belonged to Rebekah Mikaelson soon-to-be-Salvatore.

The midwife in Eleanor nodded to her step-daughter, who nodded back and got onto the horse the servant for the Salvatore family, riding saddle-back back to her family's mansion to grab the things Eleanor needed to help deliver the Salvatore-Vaughn child. Amanda let out a scream of pain looking at her husband, her mind drifting back to the time after the evening of their wedding. She finally had him all to herself forever. She squeezed her husband's hand and her eyes closed as she began to think.

_**Nine Months Ago**…_

_It had been a month since they met, and her father finally agreed to let them marry. He'd gotten Pastor Young brought to the mansion, and Katherine Gilbert happily agreed to be Amanda's maid of honor, while Damon stood up for Galen, since the two of them were friends after all. Amanda, dressed in a gorgeous dark rose pink color dress with a smidgen of a white skirt peeking out from underneath the dark rose pink, drifted down the stairs on her father's arm with Katherine holding up the rear ends of Amanda's gown._

_Amanda looked over at her father once they had reached the bottom of the stairs and walked to where Galen was waiting for her along with Pastor Young. Her father kissed the top of her head affectionately before giving her away smiling through his tears._

_Amanda stood in front of Galen smiling widely and waited for Pastor Young to begin the intimate ceremony. When it was her turn, she said her vows and slipped a ring on Galen's finger smiling. When he did the same, she cried a bit more, but her tears ceased when he kissed her._

_It was a loving, tender kiss, but still full of passion, which was Amanda's exact response to the kiss. They stood like that for a few minutes before her new husband stepped back to smile at her once more. And then he was holding out one arm, which she slipped her slender hand into, and they began the short trek out of the living room amongst the bird seed thrown at them._

_Amanda smiled as she was helped into the carriage waiting for them. She sat down and waved to her Father and brothers before the carriage drove she and Galen off to the cabin that they were using for their honeymoon. "I love you, Galen Vaughn." She smiled and snuggled down resting her head on his shoulder._

_"I love ye too, Amanda Salvatore Vaughn," her husband said with a smile, turning his head to kiss the top of hers._

_She smiled and played with the lapels on his tuxedo jacket smiling up at him. She was trying to be patient and wait until they got to the cabin. "Galen…I'm trying to be patient, I really am…but all I keep thinking about is ravishing you right here and now. Is that wrong?"_

_"No, it isn't wrong, Amanda lass. I want ye too, Amanda," he said before gently moving his hands to her waist and then lifted the skirt of her gown, unfastening his pants to bring her over him. Amanda let her head fall back, to expose her neck that was hiding beneath the collar of her gown._

_Galen smiled and leaned forward to kiss her porcelain skin and nipped at it softly earning a moan from his new wife. He smiled and ended up giving her a love bite and pulled away to kiss her on the lips until hers were swollen slightly. He adjusted her skirt and redid his pants and held her in his arms. He carried her out of the carriage and over the threshold of the cabin and shut the door setting her down on her feet._

_Amanda smiled and she stepped out of her shoes and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. "Hello, darling husband." She smiled and leaned against him and she kissed him and her fingers fumbled to get his shirt open._

_Galen smiled and helped her with his shirt before he reached back and undid her dress watching as it pooled around her feet and he knelt down to kiss her belly. "I love ye, Amanda. And ye are beautiful. But I wouldn't trade ye for anyone, Amanda; none at all." He kissed along her hipbones before kissing up her northern half and kissed her cheek softly. He carried her back to the bedroom where he deposited her on the bed and took his tux off leaving him just clad in his undergarments._

**Author's Note:** Do you like seeing Galen with Amanda? Would you like to see a love triangle for her? Let me and Court know what your thoughts are!


	6. Chapter 6

**_Previously in "Live and Learn", Amanda remembers the first time that she met Galen, and goes into labor._**

**Chapter Six**

Sabrina picked up the ends of the skirt on her gown then stepped out the door that she'd just opened, closing it quickly and quietly behind her. She walked quickly down the street and ducked behind a tree looking back to make sure she wasn't being followed. Maurice smirked and walked up behind Sabrina and grabbed her around the waist. Sabrina let out a scream, but it was immediately muffled by the tanned hand of her lover. She turned around and smacked his chest and spoke in a tone that was slightly angry with him. "Are you trying to make my father come after me? If he catches me with you, I don't know what he would do." She sighed before groaning hearing her father's voice behind her.

Maurice remained behind the tree while she stepped out to come face to face with her father. "Sabrina Mikaelson, what are you doing out so late, sweetheart?"

Sabrina always was a bad liar and now was no exception. "I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk." She averted her eyes which always seemed to be a dead give away that she was lying.

Mikael arched an eyebrow and knew she was lying to him and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Sabrina Viktoria Mikaelson, I don't appreciate being lied to. Now what's the real reason you came out so late?"

Sabrina sighed and stepped back and tugged Maurice forward. "Father, this is Maurice." She bit her lip hoping he wouldn't be too furious with her.

Mikael's eyes narrowed as he looked the gentleman up and down. He wrapped a hand around his daughter's arm and pulled her to him. "Young man, you'll find it well to leave my daughter alone."

"Father, no! You can't do this! I love him!" Sabrina looked at her father, pleading with him.

Mikael ignored her and walked with her back to the house and took her inside. "Sabrina, you are forbidden from seeing him."

"Y…you can't do that, Father!" Sabrina protested looking at him.

"I can and I have. Now, retire to your room for the evening." Mikael looked down at his youngest daughter.

Sabrina felt tears pool in her eyes when he said that and she knew she shouldn't say the next words. "I hate you!" She turned and ran in one of her older brother's arms who just looked at his father and carried her up to her room and deposited her on top of her bed.

"What happened, little sister?" Klaus asked as he held her, stroking her face with brotherly affection and wiping away her tears.

"I've been seeing someone secretly, Nik, and I'm in love with him. Father just can't see that and has forbidden me from seeing him. It's not fair! Why should I have to suffer just because he's twenty and I'm only sixteen! It's not fair!" She stood up and paced angrily and ended up grabbing a pillow and threw it against her wall and huffed.

"Perhaps I could talk to Father about you coming to stay with me and Caroline until you are finished with schooling," Klaus suggested as he remained sitting on the bed.

Sabrina stopped her pacing and thought for a minute. She then smiled and ran to her older brother hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Nik. I'd like that very much." She smiled and sat on her bed before reaching back to pull the pin out of her hair and took her brush to make her hair smooth before bed.

Klaus chuckled and hugged her in response. "Good. I will talk to Caroline and then Father and I will let you know tomorrow when I stop by to hopefully pick you up from school," he said before departing from his sister's room.

**The Next Day**…

Sabrina walked home from the school house and upon entering she saw her father. She just ignored him walking by and up to her room where she set her books down and she turned hearing a knocking on the door. She turned and smiled at her older brother. "What did Father say?"

"He does not mind you coming to stay with myself and Caroline, but you have to remember to obey the rules," he replies.

Sabrina nodded. "I promise to be good!"

"I know you will, little sister, so that means, at my house, you can have supervised courting from Maurice. That means that either Caroline or I will need to be present when he comes over," Klaus told her.

She grinned at him nodded in understanding at what he had requested. "So, should I pack all my stuff or what should I bring? Also would it be alright if I told Maurice what you said?" She bit her lower lip and sat on a chair swinging her legs back and forth looking at him.

"We shall see about Maurice. For now, pack as much as you can, little sister," Klaus told her before departing her room to wait downstairs.

Sabrina nodded watching him leave and she got a fairly large bag and stuck her dresses and other things she would need in it including her school books. She zipped it closed and dragged it downstairs and smiled at her older brother. "I'm ready, Nik. I just have to get my fiddle." She walked over to the music area and picked up her fiddle, the bow and walked back over to her elder brother and smiled widely.

He nodded and escorted her out of the house, out to his carriage. Helping her inside, he climbed in after her and the carriage driver headed toward the mansion Klaus lived in with Caroline and their son. Sabrina smiled across the carriage at her brother and felt the carriage stop in front of his mansion. "I still can't believe that you live here, Niklaus." She was helped out by the driver and she stepped down and picking up the ends of her skirt slightly she walked up to the wraparound porch and waited for Klaus. She saw the door open and was bombarded by a little blond blur and she giggled picking up her nephew and settled him on her hip and turned to see her brother walk up beside her.

"Daddy, you're home! Where have you been?" Liam yelled and wiggled in his aunt's arms and reached for his father and pouted struggling.

Klaus chuckled and set Sabrina's stuff down inside the door and took his son and held him as they walked into the mansion. "Caroline my love, are you here?"

"I'm in the kitchen, Niklaus. Same place as always," his wife called back in a teasing tone. Klaus smirked then headed in that direction, finding his expectant wife rolling some dough.

Caroline smiled continuing to roll the dough before placing it in a pan to place in the fireplace which was already going. She was making a lot of cornbread, most of which was going to the camps for the soldiers. She wanted to do something to help, and she figured she could help by making them bread to eat. She pulled one pan out of the fireplace and stuck the new pan in the fireplace to bake.

She held the pan with the metal tongs to pull it out and set it on the wooden counter top to cool off. She smiled at Sabrina and walked over to her hugging her as best as she could with being seven months pregnant before she stepped over to her husband and kissed him softly. "How was your day, my love? Did the little one give you any trouble at all?" he asked as he returned her kiss then kissed her growing belly.

Caroline smiled when he kissed her protruding belly. "No, she just likes to kick me a lot." She was about to say more but she clutched the counter top and looked at her husband. "Nik, it's time."

Upon hearing what Caroline had said, she went into full midwife mode. She has always helped her mother when it came to births and looked at her brother. "Niklaus, help her into a bed and get her comfortable. I have no time to go fetch Mother." She bustled around grabbing a bowl and filled it with warm water and grabbed tons of cloths and followed her brother and sister in law.

Klaus did as his youngest sister asked, helping Caroline into the downstairs master bedroom suite then attended to Liam, taking him outside to go for a stroll with one of the slaves.

She smiled encouragingly at Caroline hearing her scream as a contraction hit her. She placed her feet up on the post and she laid a blanket across her own knees to wrap the infant in after he or she was delivered. She nodded at Caroline silently instructing her to push. She saw a little bit of movement and she saw a slave nearby. "You, go fetch my brother." She turned back to her work and patted Caroline's knee. "You're doing great, Caroline."

Caroline clutched at the bed sheets screaming in pain as she gave a big push for her sister in law. She flopped back down upon the bed panting, her chest heaving up and down. She closed her eyes momentarily before opening them as someone patted a cool cloth over her forehead. She saw it was her husband and she moved so she was sitting gripping his hands and she gave one more big push and leaned back against him hearing the wailing of a baby.

Sabrina smiled catching her niece and cleaned her off before cutting the cord and wrapping her in the pink blanket. She stood up and carried her over to Caroline and Klaus. "Would you like to meet your daughter?" She held the bundle out to Caroline and she went and cleaned her up and walked out taking the bowl and dirty towels to a slave.

"We have a daughter, Nik," Caroline said in an awed tone as she gently rocked their newborn daughter.

Klaus smiled and kissed the top of his wife's head affectionately. "Yes, we do, Caroline. She looks like you." He smiled and ran a finger softly over his newborn daughter's cheek and smiled when she did. "Do you have a name in mind for her, love?"

"Anastasia," Caroline replied. "Anastasia Elizabeth Mikaelson."

Klaus smiled and rested his chin on her shoulder. "That's a lovely name, love. She'll be my little princess." He smiled, looking up and saw Liam peeking in the doorway and he chuckled. "Come here son, you can meet your sister."

Liam walked in and tugged his Aunt behind him and felt Sabrina pick him up and set him on the bed beside her sister in law and brother. "That's your new sister, Liam," Sabrina said with a smile as she sat down with him.

Liam smiled at his parents and touched his new sister's arm softly. "How did she get from Mommy's belly to here Daddy?" He looked at him inquiringly.

"That's a question you'll get the answer to when you're older, my son," Klaus replied.

"Okay, Daddy. Can we go play now, Aunt Brina?" Liam looked at his aunt and smiled at her childlike.

"Of course we can, Liam. What did you want to do?" Sabrina got up and helped Liam down and waited for him and smiled at her brother deciding to give him and Caroline some alone time with their new daughter.

"Can we go horse-riding?" he asked.

Sabrina nodded before looking at her brother who nodded her approval. "Sure, poppet, you want to ride with me or with a servant?"

Liam thought about it before looking at his father. "Daddy, can I ride by myself?"

"No, son, you need to ride with an adult. Sabrina, you can ride with him," Klaus said with a nod at his sister, who nodded back.

"Okay, Daddy." Liam pouted but took his aunt's outstretched hand and walked with her to the stables and waited while she chose a horse.

Sabrina smiled and chose a black and white colored horse that was appropriately named Pepper. She had a servant saddle the horse up and she went and changed into a riding outfit and came back and got up on the horse and had the servant lift Liam up and she helped get him into position. "Alright, Liam, hold onto this and don't let go." She put his hands on the horn of the saddle and smiled patting the top of his head.

She clicked her tongue and nudged Pepper into a walk and eventually a trot smiling as they rode her together. She didn't want to go any faster, at least not with Liam. After they got done with the ride, Sabrina took him back to the stables, where she spotted Maurice waiting in the shadows for her. Sabrina waved for one of the servants. "Take him back to the house, please," she ordered in a soft voice.

The servant nodded and did as they were told before Sabrina was stepping into one of the empty stalls, Maurice backing her into the corner and pushing the skirt of her gown up until he could unfasten his breeches and thrust into her. "Mm, Sabrina, you feel so good," he said in a hoarse tone, thrusting in and out of her.

"Maurice, I thought you were going into Richmond today," she said softly as she thrust with him, lips capturing his softly.

"I couldn't go without seeing you first," he replied, smiling against her lips.

Sabrina smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck continuing to kiss him for a few minutes longer before he pulled away. She pouted and looked at him as he refastened his breeches and she straightened her hair. "You really have to go now? I'm going to miss you, promise me you'll write me? Oh and when you return my brother said I can have supervised visits with you."

"That sounds lovely, Sabrina. You know I want that more than anything. And we will, but this business deal I have must be sealed, so it's off to Richmond I go," he said, brushing his lips over hers a few times before quickly disappearing when he heard her name being called from the house.

"Sabrina, sister, where are you?" her brother called from the back porch.

Once she had straightened her dress, Sabrina rushed out of the stables and up to the porch. "I am sorry, brother. I was brushing Pepper down and didn't hear you calling me," she said, lying through her teeth.

"That is what the servants are for, dear sister," Klaus said. "What were you really doing out there?"

Sabrina giggled nervously and backed away a bit trying to find a way around him. "I told you, I was brushing Pepper." She averted her eyes and walked more towards the house attempting to run, but ended up getting caught by Klaus.

"Sabrina, my dear sister, but you will have to live by MY rules still. That means no lying to me," Klaus told her in a soft, but still somewhat harsh tone.

Sabrina bit her lip and looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry, Nikluas. He found me and I couldn't avoid him. I'm sorry, I know you said his visits had to be supervised, but he was leaving for Richmond and he said he had to see me before he left."

"Well, please make sure that he is invited up to the house next time. No unsupervised visits," Klaus said, hugging his sister before returning to his bedroom and to Caroline.

Sabrina nodded and retired to her own room for the evening. With a servant's help, she got dressed for bed falling asleep quickly.

**The Next Morning**…

Sabrina woke up and yawned softly and saw that the sun was beginning to rise. A servant came up and helped her dress in riding gear and she walked out to the stables, her braid swinging back and forth. She never told her family she did this, because then her father would flip if he knew she had been riding as a male would.

She got to the stables and saw another servant had already saddled up a black mare which had been appropriately named Black Beauty. She sat astride her and taking the reins she nudged her out of the stable. She kicked her heels into the sides of the mare and grinned when she began to canter along the open field. She grinned and after a little bit she broke into a full on run and she grinned as she rode the horse happily. She slowed down seeing her brother watching her and she walked over to him still astride the horse. "Good morning, Niklaus!"

"Good morning, little sister," Klaus said, smiling up at her. Liam stood next to him, holding his father's hand.

"We should race later, if you're not too busy. Oh, and you're not going to tell Father about me riding like this, are you?" She pouted hoping he wouldn't because not only would he get in trouble, but he would as well. She waved at her nephew who grinned up at her and wanted to go up with her. "Not on this horse, Liam; she likes to run very fast and I don't want you falling off."

"We'll have one of the ponies set up for you soon, my boy," Klaus said as he took Liam back inside while Sabrina went to put Pepper up, actually brushing her down this time.

**Author's Note:** This was going to have something _completely_ different, but I (Katie) changed it because it didn't work for me, because it's supposed to be romantic while war-filled at the same time. Happy reading!


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